Improvement in stamp-cancelers



2 Sheets--Sheet I.

J. E. THOMSON.

Stamp-Canceiera.

NO 133,604. v Patented Dec.3,1872

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2 Sheets--Sheet 2.

J. E. THOMSON.

Stamp-Canceiers Patented Dec. 3,1872.

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UNITED STATES PATENT rrrcn.

JAMES E. THOMSON, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN STAMB-CANCELERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 133,604., datedDecember 3, 1872.

open and the inner plate removed; Fig. 3 is a vertical section; and Fig.4 is a detached view of the inner plate.

My invention has for its object to provide a means for attaching tobarrels, kegs, packages, 850., revenue-stamps so that the attachmentshall be so secure as to prevent the accidental detachment of the stampby moisture in the atmosphere, and to insure a mutilation of the stampso as to prevent it being used again.

My invention consists in a hinged clasp attached to the barrel, package,850., which contains certain punches and knives for mutilating the stampand a means of locking the said clasp, all of which is more particularlyhereinafter described.

In the said drawing, A is a casing of any desired shape. If intended fora barrel one side should be rounded like a to fit against the chine. Inthis casing at each corner are shoulders c 0, through which are holesfor screws or bolts to fasten the casing to the package. In the back ofthis casingis reamed out a hole, .10, for the passage of a faucetthrough the casing. Two levers, B and O, constructed as shown, work onspindles b and (l in the back of the casing A. The lever B carries uponit knives or cutters 70 k k, and is attached at e to a spring which hasits opposite end fastened to the casing A. It also has on it a lug, t,which passes over the point i of the lever O. The lever G has on its enda latch, f, and a spring, 6, is attached to it and to the casing. Aplate, D, fits into the casing A and rests on the shoulders o c. In thisplate are cut slots k, k, and l, for the purposes hereinafter described.It also has a hole, a), for the passage of the faucet, and screw-holesto fasten it to the frame A and to the barrel or package. Upon it areriveted punches n n,

which fit or correspond to holes 12/ a partially through the cover H. Acover, H, is hinged to the casing A at h. This cover has in it certainopenings m, m, m, m, and 0, and is also provided with a hole, as, forthe reception of the faucet. The hole at is slightly smaller than theholes at and w. A slot, p, is made in the cover H to insert a key intothe hole 19 in the lever B to unlock the clasp. A portion of the innerside of the cover is cut away at r r to allow of the operation of theknives k k k k.

A catch, 8, is cast on a projection on the cover,-

and this catch engages in the latch f when the cover is closed down. Alug, t, is cast on the cover H, and when the cover is down engages inthe upper side t of the opening Zin the plate D, thus preventing thecover from being opened when it is locked by driving out the pin throughthe hinge h.

The operation of my device is as follows, for example: When it isattached to a beerkeg the casing is secured to the keg, the

holes $0,512, and :12 being over the bung-hole in the end of the keg.The brewer fills the keg with beer, places a revenue-stamp over theplate D, and closes the cover E. This forces the catch .9 over the latchf and the spring holds it in place, the punches at a passing through thestamp and into the holes n n. The knives k k also puncture the stamp.This leaves portions of the stamp exposed, but uninjured, through theopenings m m m m 0 and the stop 12 and hole at. These exposed pon tionsallow the inspection of the stamp so as to see if it should becounterfeit. Thus the keg goes to the consumer. he has to tear out thepart covering the hole as. goes back to the brewery. The brewer has toopen the casing to fill the barrel and insert a new stamp. To open thecasing he inserts a key through the slot 1) and opening Z into the hole19 in the lever B and presses the lever around so that the cam i forcesdown the end i of the lever G and-releases the catch a from the latch f.As the lever B is pressed around, the knives 7c is traverse the slots k13 and cut the stamp, and the key does the same thing, thus mutilatingthe stamp so as to prevent reusing. The old stamp is then taken out, and

a new one inserted when the barrel is filled. On the plate D are bladesis 10 which cut the When he taps it 7 This mutilates the stamp. The kegthenstamp when the cover is closed down, and when the cutters k k beginto operate they not only cut along the slots 70 70 but the pressure ofthe cutters tears the stamp from the cut made by the blades 20 w.

Claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The levers B and O, and lid H with the keyhole 19, all constructed,combined, and arranged so that the stamp must be partially mutilated ininserting the key.

tion with the plate D and casing A, as described.

, J AS. E, THOMSON,

Witnesses B10111). K. EVANS, I. D. RONSTADT.

